Ingredients
- 1 cup beluga lentils (200 g)
- 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in sixths (quartered if small) (about 450 g)
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon capers (in brine), drained
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, about 3 tablespoons
- juice of 1 1/2 medium lemons, divided
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves
- 1 mini cucumber or 1 /2 English cucumber, seeded, diced
- drizzle olive oil, to serve
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place lentils in a large saucepan, cover with plenty of water and bring to the boil (generally, lentils should be cooked at a 1:3 ratio; lentils to water). Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Drain excess water and transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
- When the lentils are halfway though cooking, broil the tomatoes and feta.
- Place the tomatoes in an ovenproof baking dish along with the capers and thyme. Scatter with the crumbled the feta and drizzle with olive oil. Season with freshly ground pepper and transfer the dish to the middle rack of the oven and broil on low heat.NOTE: I have an electric oven with the setting “GRILL” and heat level 1-3. I use heat level 1 for this recipe. If your oven doesn’t have this option then place on the bottom third of the oven.
- Broil until the tomatoes and feta begin to soften and brown slightly; about 15 to 20 minutes depending on your oven’s broiler and how close it is to the heat.
- Now prepare the rest of the salad. Add the juice of 1 lemon, along with the chopped parsley and mint to the bowl with the lentils, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
- Transfer the lentil-herb mixture to a serving plate, top with the roasted tomatoes, feta, and contents of the casserole dish. Sprinkle the diced cucumbers over the salad and drizzle the juice from the remaining 1/2 a lemon over top along with a small drizzle of olive oil. Adjust seasoning as desired. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- The fresh mint is key to this lentil salad recipe, so I recommend it not be skipped.
- I choose mini cucumbers to add some summer freshness to this recipe, this can also be replaced with slices of sweet red onion and some more fresh herbs or other greens.
- A medium lemon has between 2-3 tablespoons of juice, so if you use a large lemon you will need less lemon juice. However, feel free to adjust the amount of lemon juice to fit your personal taste.